March 26, 2012

The buzz around the water cooler is that this gorgeous Springtime weather is supposed to be inspiring us all to pick up our needles and venture out into the world with a bevy of one-skein projects in hand. I guess it's lucky then that I already have some one-skein projects underway. I would hate to have been caught by surprise and been the odd knitter out.

Almost finished is the first pair of Hiker Chick socks that will be featured in my yet-to-be-released sock kits done in Copper Kettle. I've dyed up several new skeins is Rocket Sock to go into the shop this week, and I think I've selected the final two choices from the lot. But, there are months and months to go between now and September. Or maybe I should release my kits in July? Do you have any thoughts on this? I want to do at least one 4-color contrast multi and a tonal multi.

April will also bring a series of new extra fine alpaca lace colors to my Etsy shop. Here's a quick peek at what's just been added to the Etsy shop:

And then there's the new lace scarf pattern that's in the works. You can expect to see Lila in the Etsy shop and on Ravelry and Patternfish about mid-April. I'm giving a sneak peek in my April newsletter so I hope you've subscribed! This lovely lace is done with the Gypsy Autumn Spice color way, which I came to discover as I have been knitting with it is totally not an Autumn color way at all! Its blend of rose, tangerine, pumpkin, and peony pink is quite girly and perfect for summer evenings out on the town. I think my final product for the test knit phase will be going out on the town with me to the Stitches South convention. No booth for me, but definitely taking a class on designing triangular lace shawls. You can expect a shawl design for my Eco label to come out of that experience. I'm very excited!

Finally, I am toying with doing a booth at the Carolina Fiber Festival in June. If any of you have ever been, please tell me what your experience was like. I'd like to have an idea about what kind of experience to expect. Thanks and happy Spring knitting!

March 15, 2012

I've been so mind-blowingly busy this past week that I've only now managed to eek out a few minutes to share finished pics of the first draft of my new top-down sock pattern "Hiker Chick". Coming soon will be some pics of the new Rocket Sock colorways that will debut with this pattern in August as sock kits. Right now, the first colorway is on the needles (Copper Kettle) and it's looking good! Knitting friends are making exclamations of glee over this colorway and pattern, and that's always a good sign. But for now, here is an indoor and an outdoor pic of the first draft (done in that marled German wool that I've complained about so much):

March 09, 2012

Remember that gorgeous Entrelac cowl I made? Well, I got to wear it just ONCE! before the truth, and the dye, of Cherry Tree Hill silk/merino yarn came out. Tonight was the first time I washed it, and in a cold water rinse cycle all of the burgundy and green color bled out, muting the chartreuse to an ugly gold and casting a faded grey hue over all of the other shades, not to mention ruining the colors of two pair of hand knit socks that were rinsed with it.

I've always been enamoured of the beautiful colorways of this yarn label and have sought it out at conventions and in yarn shops, but sadly no longer. What a miserable feeling it is to have done so much work and devoted so many hours to something that ends up looking like an old dish towel after one cleaning!

I am glad that I can say that my own yarns don't leave knitters in a melancholy mood after just one wear. I guess the remainder of my Cherry Tree Hill stash has a very uncertain fate.